Winter Cycling - Homemade studde tyres. How?

I am sure I remember reading about peopel making homemade studde tyres by putting screws in the tyres themselves. Seriously, is this working or just a joke? How exactely is the screws put in the tyre (from the innside out or outside inn? What sort of screws?

Sounds like a puncture (or several..) to happend if you ask me, but I`d like to know.

Yeah, I've done it. Sheet metal screws, from the inside out. Use a tire liner. Be careful for the first few miles, those suckers are sharp.:thumb:

If you're going anywhere near a paved surface, it's a waste of time.

For strictly off-road use, homemade screw tires can vastly exceed the traction of anything available commercially, and should last a couple of seasons.

You can get a first class Nokian winter tire for about $50 I think. How long would it take to screw in 100 screws and then glue in a liner? Sounds like a lot of work....

It takes about half an hour per tire.

I used #6 x 3/8 screws. The screws should just penetrate the tire (slightly more than does a commercial stud). Drill the knobs from the outside using a 1/16 drill bit. Screw the screws through the holes from the inside of the tire, with the heads inside. Sacrifice an inner tube for each tire to use as a heavy-duty outer liner between the screws and the working inner tube. Your LBS may generously give you a couple if you don't have any around the house at the moment. Handle with care, because once the tire is studded, it's very ouchy-making to your hands.

Two boxes of screws - $6.

I already had the knobby tires and two extra inner tubes to sacrifice as the double liner between the tube and the screws.

This is for a cheapo x-mart bike being converted to a winter rat. Cheap is the goal (except I splurged and bought a used Sram 7-speed IGH for about $180).

Keep in mind that for some of us, the MAKE philosophy trumps the convenience of store-bought.

Keep in mind that for some of us, the MAKE philosophy trumps the convenience of store-bought.

exactely my way of thinking. Buying is no fun. Can get ok studded here for £17,- Got them for two 26" bikes and one 24" bike. Two of the tyres has lost several studs, so I think I`ll try repair job for a start.

Guess my son would like some "monster stud" ones just for fun on a spare bike.

I`we got a friend with a slim budget that need studs (car free) so I might make some for her.

Think I`we got plenty of tyres and tubes lying around.

Using a drill to screw them in should be fast.


It is not heavy / stiff with the extra tube innside?

It is not heavy / stiff with the extra tube innside?

It will be a boat anchor no matter what is inside.

But think how in shape you will be when spring rolls around again. :)

In the late '80's I made some by running screws from the inside, then cutting the extra off with a side cutter right at the tire tread. I put an old foldable clincher tire in as a liner.

They were a blast!

Now I have Nokians for commuting.

But think how in shape you will be when spring rolls around again. :)

The other day, out riding in the beautiful autumn sun my son said to me: "oh, uh, I am not saying that you used to be fat (the benefit of teaching them to lie at an early age) but you are getting slimmer"..:love::D

Cheap is the goal

And what a noble goal it is! I really enjoyed your details and will keep them if I ever
do decide to go the studded tire route. Thanks for the information.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg194/unregistered_coward/SMTire.jpg

Here are some pics I took at a race last winter.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2294/2240442344_97ac13be9f.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2302/2239652573_2262aa3ef4.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2404/2240443864_18d87e342c.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2053/2240444938_dd727b0074.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2376/2240469126_86d8dfd617.jpg

Some of those look absolutely lethal, I'd hate to come off infront of a guy using one of those.